The final World of Brass — 4barsrest.com Rankings for 2013 show few changes at the very top, with Cory finishing the year in the number one position for a remarkable seventh time in succession.
Dominated
Overseas national championships have dominated the proceedings over the past month, with Burgermusik Luzern (Switzerland), Willebroek (Belgium) and Schoonhoven (Netherlands) all consolidating their ranking positions following their victories, as well as earning their coveted places at next year’s European Championships at Perth.
The other contests taking place since the last update were:
Scottish Shield — won by Newtongrange
Scottish Challenge Cup — won by St. Ronan’s
Leicestershire BBA — won by Newstead Brass
Gloucester BBA — won by Brunel Brass
Northern Ireland Brass Band League — won by Downshire Brass
SEWBBA Blaenavon — won by Burry Port
Wessex Open — won by Woodfalls
Top 10 bands
1. Cory
2. Tredegar
3. Foden's
4. Black Dyke
5. Brighouse and Rastrick
6. Leyland
7. Grimethorpe Colliery
8. Co-operative Funeralcare
9. Fairey
10. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
To view all the ranked bands, go to:
www.4barsrest.com/rankings/default.asp
December is also the time of year that we can reflect on how much bands have achieved in worldwide competition over the past 12 months.
Welsh success
The success enjoyed by Welsh bands in 2013 is well documented, but it is reflected most notably in the increase in Cory and Tredegar’s points over the year, with the latter’s beating the previous record of 654 points set by Fairey in 2010.
2013 was a good year for:
2012/2013: Total points +/-
7th to 2nd: Tredegar: 1,363.56pts (+720.25)
1st to 1st: Cory: 2,105.81pts (+626.56)
9th to 8th: Co-operative Funeralcare: 434.24pts (+154.64)
10th to 10th: Carlton Main Frickley Colliery: 412.86pts (+142.25)
12th to 11th: Eikanger-Bjørsvik: 319.68pts (+98.65)
41st to 23rd: Milnrow: 96.67pts (+63.55)
53rd to 26th: Woodfalls: 84.30pts (+60.06)
30th to 18th: Kirkintilloch: 123.22pts (+56.78)
20th to 14th: Virtuosi GUS: 176.11pts (+51.74)
26th to 19th: Buizingen: 122.06pts (+46.76)
36th to 30th: Northop: 69.05pts (+28.57)
38th to 31st: Burry Port Town: 64.14pts (+26.90)
54th to 35th: Brass Band Fribourg: 49.42pts (+26.25)
90th to 43rd: Tylorstown: 33.38pts (+22.22)
106th to 47th: Sola Brass Band: 29.48pts (+21.10)
59th to 41st: Aldbourne: 39.76pts (+19.79)
19th to 15th: Whitburn: 156.35pts (+18.13)
51st to 38th: EYMS: 42.32pts (+17.03)
93rd to 52nd: Paris Brass Band: 27.41pts (+17.01)
191th to 64th: Jaren Hornmusikkforening: 18.69pts (+15.48)
2013 was a bad year for:
2012/2013: Total points +/-
3rd to 4th: Black Dyke: 644.77 -502.08
2nd to 3rd: Foden's: 973.12 -380.37
5th to 9th: Fairey: 413.31 -286.92
4th to 5th: Brighouse & Rastrick: 639.93 -239.75
6th to 6th: Leyland: 478.07 -200.71
14th to 22nd: Noord Limburgse: 99.67 -89.47
17th to 28th: Hepworth: 70.87 -80.75
16th to 24th: Rothwell Temperance: 93.95 -65.37
24th to 29th: Brass Band of Central Florida: 69.95 -40.37
25th to 32nd: Desford Colliery: 57.14 -32.29
28th to 42nd: Pemberton Old Wigan DW: 38.90 -31.42
21st to 25th: Reg Vardy: 92.82 -31.40
37th to 59th: Hammonds Saltaire: 20.76 -18.94
34th to 45th: Redbridge Brass: 30.63 -18.54
27th to 33rd: BTM: 57.14 -14.90
46th to 67th: Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan A: 17.73 -10.74
39th to 56th: Brass Band Oberösterreich: 23.98 -10.51
65th to 101st: Kew Band Melbourne: 9.17 -9.23
35th to 40th: Kingdom Brass: 39.91 -9.12
15th to 16th: Brass Band Schoonhoven: 150.63 -9.08
Ten highest new entries into the top 200
73rd Princeton BB USA 15.16
95th Kidlington Concert London & SC 10.18
96th Brass Band Leieland Belgium 9.94
121st Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia Brass Australia 7.21
127th Ebbw Valley Brass Wales 6.49
137th Foresters Brass 2000 Midlands 5.43
138th Parc and Dare Wales 5.35
142nd Morecambe North West 5.06
144th South Brisbane Federal Australia 4.99
155th Alexander Brass Band Norway 4.55